下面的句子摘自牛津高中英语模块一第3页：
At the end of term we held a class party and we all had to cook something.
请问：at the end of term 的 term 前为何不需要定冠词呢？
■at the end of term 这一短语中的 term 一般省略冠词。如：
We have exams at the end of term. 学期末大家要进行考试。
Are there any exams at the end of term? 学期结束时有期末考试吗？
He would have been going to leave at the end of term. 他到学期末本会离开的。
The students will be examined in all subjects at the end of term. 学期末学生要参加所有科目的考试。
但偶尔也有加定冠词的。如：
The lease is out .（张道真英语语法大全）
■顺便说一句，除去 at the end of term 外，其他用于介词 of, during 等之后的 term 也一般不需要冠词。如：
the last day of term 学期最后一天
How many weeks is it till the end of term? 到学期末有几周？
The last few weeks of term have been very busy. 期末几周一直非常忙。
It was the end of term and students decided to go out and paint the town red. 学期结束了，学生们决定出去尽情享受一番。
At the beginning of term, students are supplied with a list of books that they are expected to read. 在学期之初，学生会得到他们该学期必念书的书目单。
■但，the spring term 与 the summer term 一般有冠词。如：
He said that by the end of the spring term he would have been studying English for three years. 他说到了春天学期末，他就学了三年英语了。
There are two new courses being run in the summer term. 夏天学期将开设两门新课。
During the summer term we would play cricket at the village ground. 在夏天学期，大家会在村里的空地上打板球。
■即便将 term 用作主语，也一般省略冠词。如：
Term finishes next week. 下星期学期结束。（牛津高阶英语词典）
当然用定冠词也不算错（只不过不如省略冠词一般）。如：
The term is out . （张道真英语语法大全）
